Fullmetal to Hogwarts
by Margan
Summary: HPFMA AU NO YAOI! Edward loses his brother to the gate. Roy finds him and saves him. Now, the two are off to Hogwarts to protect a certain Harry Potter. Hp 3rd book. FMA anime based.
1. Prologue

**A/n:** Hello! This is my first story and I hope that you would be able to give me tips on how to write properly. (Hint constructive criticism Hint) Oh, please, no need to review if you don't want to and please don't flame me, review for updates or tell me to keep it up or something along those lines. Ohh. And please tell me if there are any good HP FMA crossovers/ Ed returns to his world (after the movie) stories. Note: will contain spoilers (I think).

**Disclaimer for story****: I do not own Harry Potter or the Fullmetal Alchemist. I do however own the story line and if you find one similar to this please inform me since I havn't really read Fan Fictions.**

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Chapter 1: Onwards to Hogwarts

**Prologue**

Three people sat on the scarlet train; one short, two tall, compared to the short one.

The short one was staring out of the window, his face carefully blank, gold eyes betraying nothing. Blond bangs framed his face and the rest of his long hair was tied up in a braid the hung down his back, stopping just before the symbol (a cross with a snake twined around it) on his red cloak. He wore a black, long-sleeved shirt with contrasting crisp white gloves on his hands. He also wore a pair of black pants and combats boots; well worn. His suitcase was on his lap, tightly locked and sealed with alchemy for an extra precaution.

Opposite him sat a man fast asleep, leaning against the window. He was wearing a set of shabby wizard's robes which had been darned in several places. He looked ill and exhausted. Although he seemed quite young, his light brown hair was flecked with grey. The suitcase on the luggage rack identified him as R.J Lupin.

Beside the blonde boy, whose name was Edward Elric, Ed for short, sat a man with black and slightly messy hair. He wore the standard military uniform of the Amestrain Military which nobody here would recognise. The famous gloves with the flame array on them that gave him his title, Flame Alchemist, were tucked neatly into his back pocket with his new stick –wand wasn't it?- within easy reach. His suitcase was stowed under the seat; he didn't trust overheads. In his hands was an advance alchemy book from the wizarding world which his onyx eyes_ seemed _to be focusing on. Roy Mustang was not actually reading it but remising in the past…

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flashback

Oh… How he hated rain. It made him useless in case of an attack, not that he would ever admit it out loud. He had to get to the new possible alchemist recruit. It might get him a promotion and push him up one more step to his dream. As he sloshed through the heavy downpour, his stomach suddenly lurched, like something bad was going to happen. Blood red light turning purple filtered through the rain from over the hill. Mustang quickly ran toward the source; behind the hill. A house stood there, the eerie light emitting from it. As suddenly it had appeared, it disappeared. Roy ran to the house and broke the door down. A cry was hear from the floor and Roy jumped, and then reasoned that whoever it was was most probably in the basement. After some frantic searching, he found the right door. Wrenching it open, he saw a prone figure of a young boy of about ten lying right at the bottom of the steps without an arm and a leg, beside an armour with what Roy recognized as a soul seal drawn in blood at the 'collar'.

Roy's eyes widened as he took in the scene. He saw part of a human transmutation circle and knew immediately what had happened. He ran down the steps to the blubbering blonde boy and scooped him up, carefully adverting his eyes from the centre of the room and ran off into the night to seek medical help as the boy muttered feverishly, "The gate! The gate! It won't give her-them back! It won't! Alphonse! Mother! Al! I'm so sorry! The gate! The gate! It……." repeating it over and over again.

Once outside, Roy spotted a house nearby and ran a full pelt at it, knocking furiously at it. A short, old lady with a short pony tail that stuck up at a strange angle answered it and promptly dropped the pipe she was smoking at the sight. A military man cradling Edward in his arms! She ignored the fact for a while, tending to Ed first, leaving him standing in the doorway dripping wet.

_later_

"What happened?" The old lady, Pinako, asked.

"I have come to extend an invitation to Edward Elric to join the military as a State Alchemist."

"Ha! Has the military gotten so desperate that they are trying to recruit children?!"

"Children! Isn't Mr Elric 22 years old?"

"Nay. He's the boy that you brought here just now. He's _eleven._"

Roy consulted a miraculously dry paper, muttering, "Riza can't have got it wrong…. She must have been misinformed... yes, that's it."

Roy turned to Pinoko "Tell Mr. Elric when he was recovered that he has received an invitation to the military. Also, when he is ready to join, look for Mustang, The Flame Alchemist. I'll come back 3 years later _personally_ if he doesn't reply with his own signature." He told her formally.

"Are you threatening me, young man?" She replied, raising an eyebrow. "I do hope not."

"Of course not madam, of course not."

_end of flashback_

* * *

And Edward had come, at the young age of 12. He had managed to earn a place in the exams because he had impressed the president by single-handedly saving a whole train from the terrorist group that was targeting the military, also saving a General, who would back him up if need be. He later passed the entry exam with flying colours by doing alchemy without a circle. The president said that it was a pleasure to have such a talented alchemist in the military. Edward had not said a whole word during that time except when needed to.

Ed, Roy and his squad, Hughes, Armstrong and several others had instantly became friends and talked and joked freely. However, with others, Ed became cold and suspicious. He rarely revealed his automail limbs to others but he did transmute his arm into a blade to fight often and it soon became a trademark.

Roy's musing was interrupted by a knock on the door. 3 faces appeared and one asked rather politely, "Can we sit here? All the other compartments are full." Roy nodded and examined them carefully. The first to enter was a boy with bright green eyes, messy black hair covering the scar on his forehead and was extremely thin. _So that was Harry Potter_, Roy mused. _The boy that the mass murderer is after…_ _the one we're here to protect... _Next came a tall for his age boy with red hair and lots of freckles. _Ron Weasly and Ah… Hermione Granger._ This thought was to the last person; a girl around Harry's height with brown busy hair had just entered.

The trio had a quick whispered conversation before Harry stood up and approached Roy. "Erm. Hello, my name's Harry Potter. What are you doing here?" He said in a rush. "I am Roy Mustang and I am the teacher Mr Dumbledore has hired to teach a new class. The DADA teacher is there, Remus. An old friend of mine." Roy said. The other two introduced themselves and Roy didn't notice what Harry was doing until it was too late. "Hello. What your name?" froze Roy. He turned around and saw Harry stretching out his right hand to Edward. Ed, however, paid him no attention and continued to watch the scenery passing. Roy sighed.

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Please note that I would most probably not be updating soon so don't hold your breath. :D Hope you enjoyed that!

P.S. sorry for any mistakes but it think my spell check is not working properly….


	2. Train ride

**A/n: **Okay. This is thirteen pages long as some reviewers wanted longer chapters. This is what took me so long. Heh. Later than expected because of chapter length. SORRY!

**Read my joint fic! It's on my bio!**

My plans for future stories… -an OC fic also involving FMA but with a little crossover.

-a series of Fanfics that happens after the movie, but with a few changes. This will be an interlocking series with crossovers. Lots of them. This will come a lot later.

**So, to reviewers;**

Spirit Elma, mrawgirl09, FlyingShadow666, chup-chup, Chika10. Thank you for the ego boost!

Shirokaze Rin- Thanks for spotting my mistakes! Their fixed now :D

KanyakaKrisha- I have a feeling that you didn't read it did you eh? **People! The joint fic is on her account. Go check it out please!**

Chapter completed on 19 September 2008 in Asia… somwhere.

Unofficial beta: KanyakaKrisha

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Chapter 2: Train ride to Hogwarts part II

Roy sighed. He looked meaningfully at Edward. "You should hang around kids your own age more often Ed. It's not doing you good for a person your _height_ to have such an adult outlook in life."

"Shut it, _old man_." Ed hissed back softly.

Harry Potter hastily retreated to his seat and started whispering to his friends. Roy, being the observant-at-weird-times person he was, noticed the tightening of Ed's right automail fist. It was obvious that Ed really wanted to punch him but was controlling due to the presence of the strangers.

If they were alone, Ed would probably have yelled his head off that he was not a midget, shrimp or speck of dust and was defiantly not short in any way and needed no magnifying devices for people to see him. At the same time, he would be attacking Roy with martial arts and alchemy. He would only cool down when either Roy snapped his fingers and unleashed the infamous flame alchemy he was famous for or when Hawkeye demonstrated that she was not out of practice since the Ishval war and was still a very good sharpshooter even with a pistol.

Roy smirked in an unholy manner. Now was the time to play a small little game called Irritating Edward Elric. Before he could thinks of anything else, there was a small 'clap' and a barely noticeable blue spark. The other three teenagers, who were currently involved in a whispered conversation together, had not noticed it.

A book, entitled 'Magical Creatures and Where to Find Them' was viciously yanked out and flipped open to a bookmark. The case was then slammed shut and the book placed atop of it. The case automatically sealed itself via the means of a small circle drawn on the latch.

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Flashback

"Hello?" The voice echoed eerily around the dusty shop, filled with shelves of long, narrow boxes whose contends were unaccounted for. Two pairs of footsteps echoed through the dusty room.

"How may I help you two sirs? Alchemists I presume? Long time since I've heard of one." A soft voice said, very close to them. Both swivelled around quickly to meet the silvery eyes of Ollivander.

"Are you the owner of this shop?" questioned Mustang.

"Ah, yes. Of course, of course."

"Now," he continued as he picked up a measuring tape from the dusty desk near the window, "Please stretch out your wand hand and remove your gloves."

"Wand hand?" Edward asked, removing his left glove, but leaving his right alone.

"I assume it is the hand you are most suitable with; the one you write with." replied Roy.

"Yes Mr. Mustang. It is. Now, if I may continue?" and started measuring Edward's arm.

_Several hours later (and some-no lots of- wand snatching done by Ollivander.)_

Ollivander placed the 10-inch oak wand with threasal hair as a core in its box, and the box beside another which was Roy's 14-inch yew wand with salamander skin core on the dusty table.

"That'll be 15 galleons altogether please. Thank you." The soft-spoken man told them. Bowing them out of the shop, Ollivander committed their wand, face and name to memory, like he had done to the thousands of others who had patronized his shop, no matter that majority of them were dead or was most likely never to set foot in the dusty little shop on Diagonal Alley. Then, he shuffled to the back room again, to wait for his next vict- customer.

_End o__f flashback_

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A knock startled the little group and the door was slid open by a plump little lady.

"Anything off the trolley dears? Oh, and sir, of course." She said, temporarily flustered when she noticed the dashing, black-haired, conscious (as in awake) man.

The golden trio started to order their snacks, which kept the witch busy. Roy leaned over to Edward and tapped the hardcover book with his finger causing Ed to look up from his book to glare at him.

"Want food?" Roy said, not at all disturbed by the killer glare Ed was giving him.

"Anything. Some chocolate would be nice though." He replied and went back to his book.

Roy got up from his comfy seat and went towards the food trolley lady. Examining the products on her trolley as she chatted with the students, he opted for 2 caldron cakes and a chocolate frog for Fullmetal.

"Miss?" he said, tapping her shoulder and fixing his most charming smile on his face.

"Yes?" she asked, blushing faintly when she saw who it was.

Roy gave his food orders, all in a charming voice and put down the exact amount asked for in exchange. He walked casually back to the compartment, holding his food in one hand and examining his wand in the other.

Walking through the door, he bypassed the students by the door and tossed the chocolate frog to Fullmetal; who caught it without looking up from his book; and towards his seat, which he first took out a book on spells from his suitcase under the seat before sitting down. Flipping through, he caught sight of a spell which made the person it was aimed at dance, and grinned evilly. Pointing his wand at Ed, he quietly muttered the spell just as Ed jumped up with an undignified screech as the chocolate frog he had open had jumped out at him.

_The chocolate was_ moving, Ed thought in horror. And all of a sudden, Roy's jinx caught him and his automail gave way. Landing undignified on the ground, he watched in growing shock as his right leg moved by its self in a complex jig.

Swearing explosively and very fast; so fast that no one else could make out what he was saying; he tried to control his leg. "I know you did it MUSTANG!" he said as the right arm that had reached out to stop the leg suddenly failed, leaving only his left arm to try to control the moving leg. Mustang, however, was half way between amusement and shock. Just looking at Fullmetal down there, leg and arm moving around wildly was enough to make any solemn man laugh. On the other hand, his subordinate's automail limbs had failed and he could not have anyone on his team with malfunctioning limbs that could fail anytime, especially in a war, which was crucial.

Checking the counter curse in the book, he waved his wand, feeling a little foolish, and removed the curse. Edward's leg stopped moving as well as his arm. Ed's automail, however, still hanged limp and stubbornly unmoving. With difficulty, he managed to lever himself up onto the seat where, grumbling, struggled to move his automail without actually removing the clothes that covered them.

Roy felt slightly guilty that he had probably caused the malfunction of Fullmetal's automail. Suddenly, amongst the drumming rain drop that had started to rain down a while ago, there were three pairs of footsteps. The cause of this were soon revealed in the form of three boys who slid open the compartment door; Draco Malfoy, flanked by his cronies, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle.

Malfoy, who had a pale, pointed, sneering face, was in Slytherin house; he played Seeker on the Slytherin Quidditch team, the same position that Harry played on the Gryffindor team. Crabbe and Goyle seemed to exist to do Malfoy's bidding. They were both wide and muscled; Crabbe was taller, with a pudding-bowl haircut and a very thick neck; Goyle had short, bristly hair and long, gorilla arms.

"Well, look who it is," said Malfoy in his usual lazy drawl, pulling open the compartment door. "Potty and the Weasel."

Crabbe and Goyle chuckled trollishly.

"I heard your father finally got his hands on some gold this summer, Weasley," continued Malfoy as he walked into the compartment. "Did your mother die of shock?"

The red head stood up quickly, knocking over a basket that had held a cat- Crooksharks.

"Get out now, Mr. Malfoy. I do not wish to see any petty bickering when I am around." A cold voice cut in. The people in the compartment all turned to the speaker, Roy.

"Who are _you?"_ Malfoy challenged.

"A new teacher. Now, get out." And he sat back down.

"C'mon," he muttered resentfully to Crabbe and Goyle, and they disappeared.

Harry and Ron sat down again, Ron massaging his knuckles.

"I'm not going to take any crap from Malfoy this year," he said angrily. "I mean it. If he makes one more crack about my family, I'm going to get hold of his head and —" Ron made a violent gesture in midair.

"Ron," hissed Hermione, pointing at the people near the window, "be careful…"

The people mentioned gave no response at either seeing or hearing Ron's response to Malfoy.

The rain thickened as the train sped yet farther north; the windows were now a solid, shimmering gray, which gradually darkened until lanterns flickered into life all along the corridors and over the luggage racks. The train rattled, the rain hammered, the wind roared, but still, Professor Lupin slept.

"Excuse me" Ron said timidly to the awake strangers. "We must be nearly there," he then announced, leaning forward to look past Professor Lupin at the now completely black window.

The words had hardly left him when the train started to slow down.

"Great," said Ron, getting up and walking carefully past Professor Lupin to try and see outside. "I'm starving. I want to get to the feast…"

"We can't be there yet," said Hermione, checking her watch.

"So why've we stopping?"

The train was getting slower and slower. As the noise of the pistons fell away, the wind and rain sounded louder than ever against the windows.

Harry, who was nearest the door, got up to look into the corridor. All along the carriage, heads were sticking curiously out of their compartments.

The train came to a stop with a jolt, and distant thuds and bangs told them that luggage had fallen out of the racks. Then, without warning, all the lamps went out and they were plunged into total darkness.

"What's going on?" said Ron's voice from behind Harry.

"Ouch!" gasped Hermione. "Ron, that was my foot!"

Harry felt his way back to his seat.

"D'you think we've broken down?"

"Dunno…"

There was a squeaking sound, and Harry saw the dim black outline of Ron, wiping a patch clean on the window and peering out.

"There's something moving out there," Ron said. "I think people are coming aboard…"

The compartment door suddenly opened and someone fell painfully over Harry's legs.

"Sorry! D'you know what's going on? Ouch! Sorry —"

"Hullo, Neville," said Harry, feeling around in the dark and pulling Neville up by his cloak.

"Harry? Is that you? What's happening?"

"No idea! Sit down —"

There was a loud hissing and a yelp of pain; Neville had tried to sit on Crookshanks.

"Gotcha gloves on bas- _Col_- Mustang? I need light here." came an irritated new voice, probably from the new kid.

"Why thank you Edward, for caring about my hands. However they are nearby and that is only what you need to know. Now, shut up."

Ed grumbled and put his book away.

"I'm going to go and ask the driver what's going on," came Hermione's voice. Harry felt her pass him, heard the door slide open again, and then a thud and two loud squeals of pain.

"Who's that?"

"Who's that?"

"Ginny?"

"Hermione?"

"What are you doing?"

"I was looking for Ron —"

"Come in and sit down —"

"Not here!" said Harry hurriedly. "I'm here!"

"Ouch!" said Neville.

"Quiet!" said a hoarse voice suddenly.

Professor Lupin appeared to have woken up at last. Harry could hear movements in his corner.

None of them spoke.

There was a soft, crackling noise, and a shivering light filled the compartment. Professor Lupin appeared to be holding a handful of flames. They illuminated his tired, gray face, but his eyes looked alert and wary.

"Stay where you are." he said in the same hoarse voice, and he got slowly to his feet with his handful of fire held out in front of him.

But the door slid slowly open before Lupin could reach it.

Standing in the doorway, illuminated by the shivering flames in Lupin's hand, was a cloaked figure that towered to the ceiling. Its face was completely hidden beneath its hood. Harry's eyes darted downward, and what he saw made his stomach contract. There was a hand protruding from the cloak and it was glistening, grayish, slimy-looking, and scabbed, like something dead that had decayed in water…

But it was visible only for a split second. As though the creature beneath the cloak sensed Harry's gaze, the hand was suddenly withdrawn into the folds of its black cloak.

And then the thing beneath the hood, whatever it was, drew a long, slow, rattling breath, as though it were trying to suck something more than air from its surroundings.

An intense cold swept over them all. Edward felt his own breath catch in his chest. The cold went deeper than his skin. It was inside his chest, it was inside his very heart…

"_Ha-ha! Mum! Mum! Look at this!" little Edward ran up to his mother and proffered a small, transmuted pig. _

_His mother smiled gently at him. "You're such a good Alchemist, Edward. So good at it. But….." His mother collapsed onto the ground, apples that were held in her apron scattered upon the white floor of an unfamiliar room; but that didn't matter. What mattered was the... the_ thing_ his mother had transformed into…his creation… "Why didn't you make me right… Edo-ward..." It croaked out between gasps of breath. _

_Its ribcage had no skin covering it, leaving it's internal organs exposed to the air. They were slowly dripping out onto the ground, along with blood. Violet eyes stared out at him, upside down. Brown hair was spread around its so-called head, a pathetic substitute for his mother's lustrous light brown wavy hair. Every bone was exposed, a red heart trying to beat blood into its already failing body. Ed's eyes widened in horror at it…_

A hard hand slapped him, dragging him into the world of consciousness and away from his nightmare. "This is no time for you to go around fainting like a _mini _sissy, Fullmetal." A rough voice greeted him.

Ed's brain, in its half asleep state, registered the voice and the shrimp comment.

"WHOTHEHELLAREYOUCALLINGAMIDGETSISSYYOUSTUPIDUSLESSINTHERAINCOLONEL!!"

(Translation: WHO THE HELL ARE YOU CALLING A MIDGET SISSY, YOU STUPID USLESS-IN-THE-RAIN COLONEL!!)

"Good to hear it Edward." Roy dryly commented.

"Now, what the hell am I doing on the floor? I'm sure I was in the seat."

"Why, isn't it obvious? You fell out. Is that too big for you minute brain to comprehend?"

"Well, I at least have a brain. You merely have hot air in your head."

"Such hurting comments."

"Whatever." Edward finally sighed in defeat.

_Meanwhile…._

"Harry! Harry! Are you all right?"

Someone was slapping his face.

"W-what?"

Harry opened his eyes; there were lanterns above him, and the floor was shaking — the Hogwarts Express was moving again and the lights had come back on. He seemed to have slid out of his seat onto the floor. Ron and Hermione were kneeling next to him, and above them he could see Neville and Professor Lupin watching. Harry felt very sick; when he put up his hand to push his glasses back on, he felt cold sweat on his face.

Ron and Hermione heaved him back onto his seat.

"Are you okay?" Ron asked nervously.

"Yeah," said Harry, looking quickly toward the door. The hooded creature had vanished. "What happened? Where's that — that thing? Who screamed?"

"No one screamed," said Ron, more nervously still.

Harry looked around the bright compartment. Ginny and Neville looked back at him, both very pale.

"But I heard screaming —"

A loud snap made them all jump. Professor Lupin was breaking an enormous slab of chocolate into pieces.

"Here," he said to Harry, handing him a particularly large piece. "Eat it. It'll help." Harry took the chocolate but didn't eat it.

"What was that thing?" he asked Lupin.

"A Dementor," said Lupin, who was now giving chocolate to everyone else. "One of the Dementors of Azkaban."

Everyone stared at him. Professor Lupin crumpled up the empty chocolate wrapper and put it in his pocket.

"Eat," he repeated. "It'll help. I need to speak to the driver, excuse me…"

He strolled past Harry and disappeared into the corridor.

"Are you sure you're okay, Harry?" said Hermione, watching Harry anxiously.

"I don't get it… what happened?" said Harry, wiping more sweat off his face. "Well — that thing — the Dementor — stood there and looked around (I mean, I think it did, I couldn't see its face) — and you — you —"

"I thought you were having a fit or something," said Ron, who still looked scared. "You went sort of rigid and fell out of your seat and started twitching —"

"And Professor Lupin stepped over you, and walked toward the Dementor, and pulled out his wand," said Hermione, "and he said, 'None of us is hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks. Go.' But the Dementor didn't move, so Lupin muttered something, and a silvery thing shot out of his wand at it, and it turned around and sort of glided away…"

"It was horrible," said Neville, in a higher voice than usual. "Did you feel how cold it got when it came in?"

"I felt weird," said Ron, shifting his shoulders uncomfortably. "Like I'd never be cheerful again…"

Ginny, who was huddled in her corner looking nearly as bad as Harry felt, gave a small sob; Hermione went over and put a comforting arm around her.

"But didn't any of you — fall off your seats?" said Harry awkwardly.

"Yes," said Ron, looking anxiously at Harry again. "The blonde just sort of slumped onto the floor…"

Professor Lupin had come back. He paused as he entered, looked around, and said, with a small smile, "I haven't poisoned that chocolate, you know…"

Roy gave a small chuckle and bit into it. Then, he noticed Ed's penetrating gaze at him. "What?" he asked, swallowing the chocolate.

"Waiting for you to be poisoned."

The others who had just taken bites out of their pieces of chocolate were now starting to look doubtful that taking the chocolate was the right thing to do.

"It's not. Why would Remus want to poison a bunch of people? He's a kind person." The mentioned person was staring at Roy. "Mustang?" he began.

"Yes me. Long time no see eh?" Mustang replied.

"Yes… anyway. The train stops at Hogwarts in ten minutes," The DADA professor said. "Are you alright Harry?"

"Fine," he muttered, embarrassed.

They didn't talk much during the remainder of the journey. At long last, the train stopped at Hogsmeade station, and there was a great scramble to get outside; owls hooted, cats meowed, and Neville's pet toad croaked loudly from under his hat. It was freezing on the tiny platform; rain was driving down in icy sheets.

"Firs' years this way!" called a familiar voice. Harry, Ron, and Hermione turned and saw the gigantic outline of Hagrid at the other end of the platform, beckoning the terrified-looking new students forward for their traditional journey across the lake.

"All right, you three?" Hagrid yelled over the heads of the crowd. They waved at him, but had no chance to speak to him because the mass of people around them was shunting them away along the platform. Harry, Ron, and Hermione followed the rest of the school along the platform and out onto a rough mud track, where at least a hundred stagecoaches awaited the remaining students, each pulled, Harry could only assume, by an invisible horse, because when they climbed inside and shut the door, the coach set off all by itself, bumping and swaying in procession. Edward, Roy and Remus were nowhere to be seen.

_

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Scene change to when they reach the steps of they castle

As Harry stepped down, a drawling, delighted voice sounded in his ear.

"You fainted, Potter? Is Longbottom telling the truth? You actually fainted?"

Malfoy elbowed past Hermione to block Harry's way up the stone steps to the castle, his face gleeful and his pale eyes glinting maliciously.

"Is there a problem?" said a mild voice. Professor Lupin had just gotten out of the next carriage along with the two others from the compartment.

Malfoy gave Professor Lupin an insolent stare, which took in the patches on his robes and the dilapidated suitcase. With a tiny hint of sarcasm in his voice, he said, "Oh, no — err —Professor," then he smirked at Crabbe and Goyle and led them up the steps into the castle.

Hermione prodded Ron in the back to make him hurry, and the three of them joined the crowd swarming up the steps, through the giant oak front doors, into the cavernous Entrance Hall, which was lit with flaming torches, and housed a magnificent marble staircase that led to the upper floors.

The door into the Great Hall stood open at the right; Harry followed the crowd toward it, but had barely glimpsed the enchanted ceiling, which was black and cloudy tonight, when a voice called, "Potter! Granger! I want to see you both! And also Mustang and Elric."

Harry and Hermione turned around, surprised. Professor McGonagall, Transfiguration teacher and head of Gryffindor House, was calling over the heads of the crowd. She was a stern looking witch who wore her hair in a tight bun; her sharp eyes were framed with square spectacles. Harry fought his way over to her with a feeling of foreboding: Professor McGonagall had a way of making him feel he must have done something wrong.

"There's no need to look so worried — I just want a word in my office," she told them. "Move along there, Weasley."

Ron stared as Professor McGonagall ushered Harry and Hermione away from the chattering crowd; they accompanied her across the entrance hall, up the marble staircase, and along a corridor.

* * *

Once they were in her office, a small room with a large, welcoming fire, Professor McGonagall motioned Harry and Hermione to sit down. She settled herself behind her desk and said abruptly, "Professor Lupin sent an owl ahead to say that you were taken ill on the train, Potter, Elric."

Before Harry could reply, there was a soft knock on the door and Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, came bustling in.

Harry felt himself going red in the face. It was bad enough that he'd passed out, or whatever he had done, without everyone making all this fuss.

"I'm fine," he said, "I don't need anything —"

"Oh, it's you, is it?" said Madam Pomfrey, ignoring this and bending down to stare closely at him. "I suppose you've been doing something dangerous again?"

Elric was safely tucked out of sight being supported by Mustang, but not for long.

"You're the new boy aren't you? The one with the problem with the limbs. Come along. Also doing something dangerous like all you teenage boys do."

"It was a Dementor, Poppy," said Professor McGonagall.

They exchanged a dark look, and Madam Pomfrey clucked disapprovingly.

"Setting Dementors around a school," she muttered, pushing back Harry's hair and feeling his forehead. "He won't be the last one who collapses. Yes, he's all clammy. Terrible things, they are, and the effect they have on people who are already delicate —"

"I'm not delicate!" said Harry crossly, whose opinion was echoed by Edward's.

"Of course you're not," said Madam Pomfrey absentmindedly, now taking his pulse.

"What does he need?" said Professor McGonagall crisply. "Bed rest? Should he perhaps spend tonight in the hospital wing?"

"I'm fine!" said Harry, jumping up. The thought of what Draco Malfoy would say if he had to go to the hospital wing was torture.

"Well, he should have some chocolate, at the very least," said Madam Pomfrey, who was now trying to peer into Harry's eyes.

"We've already had some," said Edward. "Professor Lupin gave us some."

"Did he, now?" said Madam Pomfrey approvingly. "So we've finally got a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher who knows his remedies?"

"Are you sure you feel all right, Potter?" Professor McGonagall said sharply.

"Yes," said Harry.

"Very well. Kindly wait outside while I have a quick word with Miss Granger about her course schedule, then we can go down to the feast together."

They went back into the corridor with Madam Pomfrey, who left for the hospital wing, muttering to herself. They had to wait only a few minutes; then Hermione emerged looking very happy about something, followed by Professor McGonagall, and the three of them made their way back down the marble staircase to the Great Hall. It was a sea of pointed black hats; each of the long House tables was lined with students, their faces glimmering by the light of thousands of candles, which were floating over the tables in midair. Professor Flitwick, who was a tiny little wizard with a shock of white hair, was carrying an ancient hat and a three-legged stool out of the hall.

"Oh," said Hermione softly, "we've missed the Sorting!"

Professor McGonagall and they odd procession of the two alchemists strode off towards their empty seats at the staff table, and Harry and Hermione set off in the other direction, as quietly as possible, toward the Gryffindor table. People looked around at them as they passed along the back of the hall, and a few of them pointed at Harry. Had the story of his collapsing in front of the Dementor traveled that fast?

He and Hermione sat down on either side of Ron, who had saved them seats. "What was all that about?" he muttered to Harry.

Harry started to explain in a whisper, but at that moment the headmaster stood up to speak, and he broke off.

Professor Dumbledore, though very old, always gave an impression of great energy. He had several feet of long silver hair and beard, half-moon spectacles, and an extremely crooked nose. He was often described as the greatest wizard of the age, but that wasn't why Harry respected him. You couldn't help trusting Albus Dumbledore, and as Harry watched him beaming around at the students, he felt really calm for the first time since the Dementor had entered the train compartment.

"Welcome!" said Dumbledore, the candlelight shimmering on his beard. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast…"

Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued, "As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the Dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business."

He paused, and Harry remembered what Mr. Weasley had said about Dumbledore not being happy with the Dementors guarding the school.

"They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds," Dumbledore continued, "and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises — or even Invisibility Cloaks," he added blandly, and Harry and Ron glanced at each other. "It is not in the nature of a Dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the prefects, and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs afoul of the Dementors," he said.

Percy, who was sitting a few seats down from Harry, puffed out his chest again and stared around impressively. Dumbledore paused again; he looked very seriously around the hall, and nobody moved or made a sound.

"On a happier note," he continued, "I am pleased to welcome three new teachers to our ranks this year."

"First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

There was some scattered, rather unenthusiastic applause. Only those who had been in the compartment on the train with Professor Lupin clapped hard, Harry among them. Professor Lupin looked particularly shabby next to all the other teachers in their best robes.

"Look at Snape!" Ron hissed in Harry's ear.

Professor Snape, the Potions master, was staring along the staff table at Professor Lupin. It was common knowledge that Snape wanted the Defense Against the Dark Arts job, but even Harry, who hated Snape, was startled at the expression twisting his thin, sallow face. It was beyond anger; it was loathing. Harry knew that expression only too well; it was the look Snape wore every time he set eyes on Harry.

"As to our second new appointment," Dumbledore continued as the lukewarm applause for Professor Lupin died away. "Well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his game keeping duties."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione stared at one another, stunned. Then they joined in with the applause, which was tumultuous at the Gryffindor table in particular. Harry leaned forward to see Hagrid, who was ruby red in the face and staring down at his enormous hands, his wide grin hidden in the tangle of his black beard.

"We should've known!" Ron roared, pounding the table. "Who else would have assigned us a biting book?"

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were the last to stop clapping, and as Professor Dumbledore started speaking again, they saw that Hagrid was wiping his eyes on the tablecloth.

"And lastly, we are introducing a new subject this year; Alchemy. This will be taught by Colonel Roy Mustang and Major Edward Elric from Ametris. They will be here to teach you about Alchemy and Major Elric will be learning about magic with the third year students. I hope that you would treat them well. Students interested to learn alchemy may sign up for it. Only third years and above may sign up." They stood up; Edward supported by only one leg was a bit wobbly. They gained much applause, especially from the female population.

"Well, I think that's everything of importance," said Dumbledore when the applause had died down. "Let the feast begin!"

The golden plates and goblets before them filled suddenly with food and drink. Harry, suddenly ravenous, helped himself to everything he could reach and began to eat.

* * *

At long last, when the last morsels of pumpkin tart had melted from the golden platters, Dumbledore gave the word that it was time for them all to go to bed, and they got their chance.

They ran up to the table to congratulate Hagrid and McGonagall shooed them away gently.

The headmaster then approached the short alchemist. "Having a bit of problems with you leg?"

"And arm too. It just stopped working on the train." Replied Ed sourly.

Since the Hall was mostly empty of students and professors, Edward pulled off his right glove to inspect his automail.

"Prosthetics? Do they work on electricity?"

"Yes."

"Ah. I see your problem. I'll just adjust it to run on magic when you are in magic areas. The castle is protected by Charms to prevent muggle, non-magic, things to work. This includes electricity and is why your prosthetics stopped working."

"Ok. Thank you sir."

"You're welcome."

* * *

Trouping up the stairs to the Gryffindor tower, he mumbled the password and went to his assigned bedroom. During the summer, he had come here together with the colonel and had been given a tour of the castle as he was to patrol occasionally. The other boys were fast asleep in their beds and so Ed lurched to the bed, tired out by the day's events, and fell fast asleep without changing his clothes.


End file.
